A Song of Love
by moonlightknight
Summary: Nyamo makes a stop at Hinata while continuing her search for her grandfather. She becomes Shinobu's roommate during her stay. Tragedy strikes when Nyamo gets a phone call. Shinobu gives her friend comfort and a plan that changes Nyamo's life forever.


**A SONG OF LOVE**

Author's Note: After reading other Love Hina fanfics, I wondered what one between Shinobu and Nyamo would be like. When I listened to "Nyamo's Song" from the soundtrack for the Spring Special of Love Hina, I was inspired and motivated to write this story. Hopefully it turned out well. So please read and enjoy.

"Oh, Shinobu!"

After hanging up the last of the laundry on the clothes line, I carried the empty basket down the stairs to the lobby of Hinata Apartments. I found it strange yet surprising that all the members of the apartments were gathered together. I perplexedly asked, "Did someone call for me?"

With a smile, Keitaro announced, "You have a visitor!" With a sweep of his hand, the crowd parted like the Red Sea to reveal an old familiar face. I instantly recognized the tanned girl whose features mirrored my own.

"Hello, Shinomu."

"NYAMO!" Dropping the basket, I ran into the welcoming arms of my dear old friend.

It had been over three years since Keitaro ran away to Pararakelse Island after believing he failed his college entrance exams yet again. Naru went after him to make sure that he kept the promise they made of going to Tokyo U together. Yet they both left before the test results were posted. Kitsune, Motoko, Kaolla, Sara, Naru's sister Mei, and I all went to see the results. The other girls found that Naru and Mutsumi both made it in, but figured that Keitaro failed yet again. I believed in Keitaro so much that I was determined to find his test number on the acceptance list. And found it I did. I was so happy that I firmly decided to go and tell Keitaro personally. Seeing how determined I was the other girls eventually joined me on my trek.

Shortly after we arrived on Pararakelse, I found Naru and Keitaro in a small oasis. I was surprised to see that there was another person with them. It was a young girl. She had similar facial features as I did: a thin oval face, sparkling deep blue eyes, a cute button nose, and thin cherry blossom pink lips. Her ebony hair was done up in a ponytail that fell below her rear and her skin was the hue of milk chocolate. Her body which was donned in a bikini and a short wrap-around skirt, petite though it was, still showed subtle curves of a budding young woman. I was completely awed by how pretty she was.

Keitaro said that her name was Nyamo. Sara's father Seta worked with Nyamo's grandfather to help find a lost civilization of turtle worshippers on Pararakelse. Unfortunately, Nyamo's grandfather went missing during an expedition. Though many believed that he was dead, Nyamo believed he was still alive and vowed to find him.

Amidst our adventures, we found the ruins of the lost civilization and were overrun by a horde of sea turtles. Before we got trampled, Nyamo sang a song that calmed the turtles and saved us. The last time I saw her she was rowing a boat out into the ocean to continue the search for her grandfather. As she rowed out of sight, I said that she could come to Hinata anytime.

Nyamo must have heard me back then because here she was now, standing in front of me. She had grown at least six inches or so. Her hair was still in the same ponytail style. Her perfect smile made her eyes sparkle, just like I remembered.

"So what brings you here, Nyamo?"

"I was just passing through while still searching for my grandfather. I remembered something about a Keitaro Urashima and Hinata. I looked him up in the phone book and found the address for here. At first, I wasn't sure this was the place until Naru recognized me. Then everyone else came to greet me."

"I'm surprised at how well you're speaking our language," Motoko complimented.

"I was able to learn quite a bit on my travels."

"Do you have a place to stay while you're in town?" Naru asked.

"Unfortunately no. I don't have any money. I've only been able to get by on my survival skills while at sea and the kindness of strangers while on land."

"You can stay with us!" Kaolla shouted.

"Yeah, yeah!" Sara cheered.

"Would it really be okay?" Nyamo inquired. "I don't want to be an inconvenience."

"It won't be," Haruka replied, chewing on her cigarette, "as long as Keitaro says it's okay. After all, he's the manager."

Along with everyone else, I turned towards Keitaro. He just smiled and said, "There is always room for a friend here at Hinata. So, what do you say, Nyamo?"

Nyamo caught the gaze of everyone, lastly with mine. I smiled and nodded. With a deep bow, Nyamo said, "Thank you. I'd be so honored."

Cheers erupted from the crowd. I threw my arms around Nyamo, tightly hugging her once again. She was caught off guard for a moment, but returned my embrace laughing.

"Oh my. Did someone start a party without me?"

We all turned to see Mutsumi come into the room. As usual, she was a minute late and a clue short on the situation.

Nyamo bowed and said, "Hello, Miss Mutsumi. It has been a long time."

"Yes it has," Mutsumi said smiling. "Who are you again?"

"This is Nyamo," I answered, "from when we went to that turtle island to get Keitaro and Naru?"

"Oh, my! How great to see you once again!"

As Mutsumi walked towards Nyamo, our resident hot spring turtle Tama entered the room, hovering just above the floor. Mutsumi stepped on Tama's shell and had her foot swept out from under her. Mutsumi flew up into the air and came hurtling towards the floor. Fortunately, Keitaro broke her fall.

"Oh my. Thanks, Keitaro."

"You're welcome, Mutsumi."

Nyamo gasped. Everyone looked towards where she was looking. Keitaro caught Mutsumi alright, but his hands were cupping her ample bosom. Keitaro noticed what was wrong and pulled his hands back as if he was jolted with electricity.

"You never give up, do you?" Naru growled with fire in her eyes.

"No, Naru. It's not what you think—"

Before he could finish his explanation, Naru balled up her first and sent Keitaro soaring through the front door with a titanic Naru Punch. Everyone just stared as Keitaro disappeared over the horizon. Nyamo broke the silence by letting out an amused chuckle. Everyone turned to Nyamo, taken aback by her reaction to Keitaro's take-off. I began to chuckle along with my friend, as did everyone else.

"So," Kitsune said after catching her breath, "where can we put up Nyamo during her stay?"

"I'd like to be in Shinomu's room," Nyamo replied. With a gasp of forgetfulness, she turned to me. "If it's okay with you, Shinomu, can I stay with you?"

With a smile, I flung my arms around Nyamo's neck. "Of course you can stay with me! I've always wanted a roommate!"

I felt Nyamo return my embrace and whisper in my ear, "Thank you, Shinomu."

"You're more than welcome, Nyamo."

While Nyamo unpacked her belongings into my closet and dresser drawers, I set up a futon for her to sleep on. She told me stories of her travels, following one lead after another almost all over the world. I listened to her with great interest, picturing in my mind the wondrous places she visited and hoping that someday I would visit them as well.

"Again, I'd like to thank you for letting me be your roommate, Shinomu."

"You're quite welcome, Nyamo. By the way, why do you keep calling me 'Shinomu'?"

"When I first arrived here, I couldn't remember your name. Kaolla first told me that your name was Shinomu. But then I heard everyone else call you Shinobu. At first, I was embarrassed at having said your name wrong, but then I found it was a little easier for me to call you Shinomu. You don't mind that, do you?"

With a smile, I shook my head. "Not at all, Nyamo. I've gotten so used to Kaolla calling me that, that it seems natural to be called that. Since you are a friend of mine, just like Kaolla, it's all right if you call me Shinomu."

"Okay…Shinomu."

"So, how long are you going to be staying?"

"Just for a couple of days."

"So soon?"

"I just needed a quick rest stop before I continue looking for my grandfather."

"Well then, we'd better make the best of your time here. So, what do you want to do first?"

"I've always wanted to relax in a real open air bath."

"Well, we just happen to have one here at Hinata."

"You do?"

"Yep."

"Would you care to join me, Shinomu?" Nyamo asked, grabbing a towel and a swimsuit.

"Sure…but…"

"But what?"

"We usually don't wear swimsuits in the bath."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Nyamo apologized, quickly tucking the swimsuit away out of embarrassment.

With a small chuckle, I replied, "It's okay, Nyamo. You didn't know." I grabbed a towel as well and held out my hand. "Shall we go?"

Nodding, Nyamo took my hand and we left for the bath, talking and laughing along the way.

A couple of days turned into a week and then turned into three months. Seeing Nyamo quickly became a daily expectation. Even though she didn't have to, she helped with the everyday cleaning chores, cooked some meals she learned from her travels, and even helped some of the residents with their studies. It truly amazed me at how smart she was. She seemed to light up everybody's face with her gentle nature and sweet demeanor. Everyone seemed glad that she came to Hinata. I have to say that I was, too.

One day the phone in the lobby rang and I was the only one close enough to answer it. I picked up the receiver.

"Hello, Hinata Apartments. Who? Yes. May I ask who's calling? Just a second." As chance would have it, Nyamo was walking down the stairs. "Oh, Nyamo! There's a phone call for you."

"For me?"

"Did you give the number for here in case you wanted to be contacted about your grandfather?"

"Oh, yes. I did do that when I first got here. I became friends with a private investigator during my travels. I helped her so much in keeping her house and babysitting her son, she offered her services as payment for my hard work. It's probably her."

I handed her the receiver. After exchanging thankful smiles, I walked towards the stairs. I was about to go up, but a feeling within me kept my feet from going up the stairs. I turned around and watched Nyamo have her conversation. She nodded a couple of times and then a smile spread across her lips, which brought one to mine. I presumed that her grandfather had finally been found at long last. But suddenly, the smile faded away. I then got a bad, sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. After a couple more nods, Nyamo hung up the phone and headed towards where I was with her head down.

"Nyamo?"

She met my eyes with hers. I saw something sparkling in her orbs of blue, but it wasn't her normal sparkle of joy.

"What's wrong?" Without an answer, Nyamo shot up the stairs.

After taking a moment to gather my thoughts from Nyamo's hasty exit, I ran up the stairs to look for her. I looked both ways down the hall and saw nothing. I then heard a commotion come from my room. I swung open my door to see Nyamo on her knees, muttering to herself and flinging clothes from the dresser into her suitcase.

"Nyamo!?"

She went on packing and muttering as if I wasn't even there. I went into the room and knelt beside her. Full of worry and concern, I called out to her again.

"NYAMO!"

"I've got to go find him. I've got to find him."

I clasped her shoulders to stop her tirade and made her look at me. "Nyamo! What's wrong?"

She writhed about, struggling to get out of my grasp. "Let me go! I've got to find him!"

"Find who?"

"My grandpa! It can't be true. It just can't be."

"What can't be true?"

"HE CAN'T BE DEAD!"

The statement just froze me to the core. "Oh, Nyamo…" Tear stains streaked her cheeks. The pain and sorrow I saw in her eyes melted my heart. I let go of my grip on her.

"The phone call was from my investigator friend. I had told her about an excavation that I was told that my grandpa was in charge of many years ago. She told me on the phone that there was an accident on the dig. A cave had begun to collapse after one of the support beams gave way. He helped everyone else out of the cave, but wasn't able to make it out himself. It wasn't for another couple of months before they could go safely back into the cave. In there, they found a body. Many of his closest colleagues confirmed that it was my grandpa."

"I'm so sorry, Nyamo."

She buried her head in my lap and started crying again. "I guess I always knew that he was no longer a part of this world. I suppose I went on the worldwide search for him because I didn't want to bear the thought of being alone."

As Nyamo cried, I just stroked her troubled head. I don't know why I did, but I began humming a tune that came to my mind. Instantly, Nyamo stopped crying and lifted her head to look at me. "How do you know that song?"

"I don't know. I just seemed to remember it from when you sang it to save us from the turtle stampede on Pararakelse."

"You remembered it?"

"I suppose so. I remember how beautiful the melody was and how it made me feel so calm, as if everything was going to be all right. Whenever I get nervous or scared, I hum the song to myself, and somehow I feel stronger and more confident."

Nyamo put her head back in my lap. For some unknown reason, I began to gently stroke her silky hair. She closed her eyes and smiled. "My grandfather used to do the same thing when I was a child," she said. "Whenever I was scared or sad or feeling alone, he would hold me, stroke my hair, and sing that song you were just humming. Every time he did so, I would feel a whole lot better. Maybe it was because I felt his love for me every time he sang it to me. But now that he's gone…" A tear escaped her eye.

"You're not alone, Nyamo," I comforted, "Not anymore. You have a family here at Hinata. You have people here who love you and will always be there for you."

Looking up at me, Nyamo asked, "Even you?"

"Even me. I love you, Nyamo, and I'll always be there for you."

Without notice, Nyamo kissed me. It surprised me, to say the least, but I didn't resist. Since Kaolla had kissed me before, being kissed by a girl was nothing new to me. Plus I figured she was just showing her appreciation for my love and care for her. After she parted from my lips, Nyamo threw her arms around me.

"Thank you. I love you too, Shinomu."

I returned her embrace. "You're very welcome."

"So what should we do now?"

"How about we ask Keitaro if you could stay here permanently?"

Breaking out of the embrace, Nyamo looked at me and asked, "Do you think he would mind?"

I chuckled and replied, "Don't you remember what he said when you first came here? There's always room for a friend…no, a sister, here at Hinata."

"A sister?"

"I said we are a family here. So that makes you my sister. You don't mind do you?"

Wiping a tear from her eye, Nyamo replied, "It would be my honor…dear sister Shinomu."

"No, the honor is mine, dear sister Nyamo." With another exchange of smiles, Nyamo and I hugged again.

Nyamo and I talked with Keitaro about Nyamo's situation and asked him if she could become a permanent resident at Hinata. He being the loving, caring, compassionate manager I always knew him to be, Keitaro said it would be okay, just like I told Nyamo he would. The only stipulation he had (actually Naru put in the stipulation for him) was that Nyamo had to go to school. Nyamo had no problem with that; not only because she wanted to be a gracious occupant and follow the house rules, but because she loved to learn and always wanted to go to a proper school. She took the entrance exam for the high school I went to. Not only did she pass, but Nyamo was put in the same grade and the same homeroom as me.

"So, are you ready yet?" I asked while putting on my shoes.

"Uh, do I look okay?"

Nyamo was at the foot of the stairs in her school uniform: a navy blue sailor top with a red tie and a matching ankle length skirt. Her hair was done up in her signature ponytail. Naru was the first to comment. "You look just fine, Nyamo."

"Yeah," Keitaro agreed, "You look very pretty, just like this one girl on a dating sim—" Naru decked him down the hall before he could finish his sentence. Nyamo and I just chuckled.

"Yes, Nyamo," I replied, "You look like a proper schoolgirl, just like me."

"Thanks, Shinomu."

After Nyamo got her shoes on, we got our schoolbags and I turned to Naru. "Well, we're off to school."

"Take care, you two, and learn something new today."

"We will," Nyamo answered and we left.

As we were about half way to the school, Nyamo asked me, "Do you think the people at your school will like me?"

"Don't worry. Everything will be all right. Besides, they always like it when new people come around. And with all the stories of the adventures you have had, they will find you even more interesting."

"I suppose you're right, Shinomu. It's just that I'm a little nervous."

"Well, we both know how to fix that."

She took my outstretched hand and we sang our favorite comfort song, skipping our way towards the future together.


End file.
